# Shinto

> English word · Proper noun · IPA /ˈʃɪn.təʊ/ · frequency rank #46,175

## Definitions
1. Formerly the state religion of Japan, a type of animism involving the worship of ancestors and nature spirits.

## Etymology
Borrowing from Japanese 神道 (Shintō), from Middle Chinese 神道 (MC zyin dawX, “ways of the gods”), ultimately from Old Chinese 神道 (OC *hlin l'uːʔ, “ways [doings] of Heaven [in matters of fortune or fate]”).

## Easily confused with
- **shit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shinto-vs-shit)
- **shirt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shinto-vs-shirt)
- **shiny** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shinto-vs-shiny)
- **shits** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shinto-vs-shits)
- **stint** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shinto-vs-stint)
- **shite** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shinto-vs-shite)
- **shiro** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shinto-vs-shiro)
- **shunt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shinto-vs-shunt)
- **shitty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shinto-vs-shitty)
- **Swinton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shinto-vs-swinton)
- **shin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shin-vs-shinto)
- **shift** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shift-vs-shinto)
- **saint** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/saint-vs-shinto)
- **shine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shine-vs-shinto)
- **santo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/santo-vs-shinto)
- **Saito** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/saito-vs-shinto)
- **saints** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/saints-vs-shinto)
- **Shiite** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shiite-vs-shinto)
- **shined** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shined-vs-shinto)
- **shanti** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shanti-vs-shinto)

## Common misspellings (9)
`hsinto`, `shhinto`, `shinnto`, `shinot`, `shintto`, `shitno`, `shnito`, `sihnto`, `sshinto`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/shinto